Hello Everyone - this will be lengthy as I am very tired and spent...no one seems to understand but this message board. My husband, Jim has finished his radiation therapy a week ago. You would think I would be ecstatic, but I'm not. His condition has worsened. We went yesterday for the feeding tube - he is a large man - 6' 1", weighing in at 270 when we started this. Now he weighs in at 230...you would think that would be enough to sustain him, but he is unable to control the nausea and yeast infections. I spent all day in the hospital w/ him getting the feeding tube and then they sent us home without instructions...other than see your Dr. tomorrow. So, our Dr.'s nurse flushed the tube with water, showed us how to flush food thru the tube. When I asked what food, then she said to see the nutritionist...It has been 3 days since he has had any nutrition and other than the fluid IV's we'll probably be in the ER this weekend again getting fluids. I called the nutritionist, she's out sick, so his radiation nurse said to give him Boost...well, we have been doing a can over the past 2 hrs. and he has thrown it all up...I'm so emotionally drained right now that I cannot imagine another day of this. My H is not being whiny or complaining, but he is very private and since we have been married (a whopping 4 months - yes months), he has had to reveal so much of the bodily functions not to mention what it has done to his male ego. I am just rattling right now as everything that is posted on this board is what is happening - only his nausea and yeast infections seem to be more prevalent than most. Thanks to everyone for posting so much personal info. on this message board..it really helps.

Paula

Paula,
be patient. What he is experiencing now is pretty much SOP. Most all of us had our condition worsen for several weeks post Tx. The radiation keeps on working even though the beam(s) are "off". It IS very disconcerting for caregivers to watch. I lost over 60 lbs myself, and certainly my libido, for a time, but it ALL CAME BACK and is even better than before (I think that the body shuts off all unneccessary functions when in survival mode). I had nausea constantly and many bouts of thrush. I hold the record at UCSF for the amount of Diflucan I took. This is rather common also. Just take it one day at a time and stay in the now. get some counseling for yourself and take good care of yourself - eat well, get enough sleep, find diversions from cancer. It will pass. He will get better.

Many here have have better results with "Jevity" for PEG feeding and it is a prescription food so your insurance may even cover it.

I didn't have a PEG but some have suggested a slow, drip type gravity feeding, using a bag, might help mitigate the nausea somewhat. Sitting up while feeding may help also.

There are many anti-emetic drugs to choose from - talk to your MO about that. Keep that PEG tube flushed out and if giving any meds through the PEG, especially pills that you have to crush, insure that this is acceptable with the pharmacist. Some meds are time release and crushing them can cause an overdose.

I am going to move your thread to it's own place in "After Treatment Issues", so it doesn't get buried in Amy's thread.

Paula,

Usually the 2 to 3 weeks post Tx are the worse for everyone. I didn't have a Peg and I wound up in the hospital in my 2nd week post Tx. Around the 3rd week was when I began to notice I was walking out of that dark tunnel for good. Even then he will have bad days so don't think it's a relaspe. That period of good days and then a bad day lasted for about 2 months but remember we can all react differently.

As far as wieght loss, I lost 30% of my body weight without the Peg but I am now 6 months post Tx and I have regained all but 10 pounds and I don't think I want those back anyway.

Try Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC. It has 560 nutritionally balanced calories in a 8 oz can and helped me tremendiously when getting the most bang for my buck so to speak was important. You don't need a prescription but you order it through your pharmacy, like Walgreens or CVS. Remember to specify VHC and 560 cals.

Like Gary said, be patient. I know that's easier said than done but all of us experienced the same things that he and you are going through now and we were all told the same things we are telling you now. It will get better and better but like in baby steps, not leaps and bounds. One day he will notice an improvement and he will feel like this is it but he may not see another improvement for a week or so. Improvements will come though. Six months ago I wouldn't have thought I would feel the way I do now. I also wished it hadn't taken 6 months but that's just the way we all heal from this barbaric treatment.

And it's OK to complain, we all did.

David, I moved this thread to "After treatment Issues" becuase it was hijackinng Amy's thread. Please respond to it in that topic instead. That includes anyone elso responding to Paula and not Amy.

Well, it's been a while since I've posted anything, but believe me, I've been reading the board. Jim is doing much better - he finished RAD on 2/14, had a PEG installed on 2/17 and had it removed 3/1. Didn't work for him. Then to add insult to injury, the hole in his belly wouldn't heal. Went to the oncologist, she sent him to regular Dr., gave him more scripts, then had to go back to oncologist, and we were then forwarded to a wound care treatment center. Nothing seemed to work to get this thing healed. So, here it is on July 2nd, and Jim started fiddlin' with the wound with some tweezers and guess what??? They left a tack in his stomach...he pulled it out himself and the hole is closed:-) Yeah! What a fiasco...well now we go back to the Dr. on 7/19 to find out results of the PET. Keep us in your prayers!